Artificial trees



Nov. 23, 1965 B. N. KovAcEvlc ARTIFICIAL TREES Filed May 17. 1961 Jig) i uwwullllwnlummlllllfmlfll/l/l//lm JNVENTOR. BoRls N. KovAcEvsc:

BY 7745// l/ I? N l www@ NIM United States Patent O 3,219,512 ARTIFICIAL TREES Boris N. Kovacevic, Chicago, Ill., assigner, by mesne assignments, to Vesna Engineering Corporation, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Filed May 17, 1961, Ser. No. 110,717 4 Claims. (Cl. 161-22) This invention relates to artificial trees.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide an artificial tree formed of a plurality of shade-like sections with each shade-like section covered by a strip of material, which strip is first formed to provide a longitudinal securing edge and a plurality of fingers extending transversely from the longitudinal securing edge, and which strip is then wound around the shade-like section and secured thereto along the longitudinal securing edge so that the lingers extend outwardly of the shade-like section.

Another object of this invention is to provide a tree of the foregoing character in which the strip is formed of a metal foil.

Another object of this invention is to provide a tree of the foregoing character in which the strip material is formed of a metal foil having a longitudinal securing strip along one marginal edge thereof and a plurality of foil lingers extending transversely from one side of said longitudinal securing strip with the longitudinal securing strip helically wound on and secured to the shade-like section.

Another object of this invention is to provide an artilicial tree which is formed of a plurality of annular tapering sections mounted upon a vertically positioned pole so that the sections may be readily mounted and dismounted for collapsingsaid tree, the annular tapering sections being covered by a covering which provides an ornamental appearance for same.

In the drawings:

FIGURE l is a side elevational view of an artificial tree embodying this invention.

FIGURE 2 is a View partly in cross-section of said tree.

FIGURE 3 is a View taken on lines 3 3 of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 4 is a view of a portion of the strip material.

FIGURE 5 is a View showing the manner of winding the strip and securing it to the shade-like section.

FIGURE 6 is an enlargement showing the decorative strip secured to the' shade-like section, and

FIGURE 7 is a view of a modification.

The tree is adapted to be collapsible and is so constructed that it may be readily set up in a minimum of time. Likewise it may be readily dismantled for storing and/ or shipping.

The artificial tree herein is formed of an upright stand or pole which is made up of a number of sections suitably joined together. The upright or pole is designated generally by the numeral 10 and is made up of a plurality of tubular sections 12 suitably joined together in any conventional form. For example, the ends of the sections may intert or telescope and may be fn'ctionally interlocked to form the single upright or pole 10, which can be readily disassembled or dismantled into the separate sections for storage or the like. The upright or pole 1l) is supported on a base 14 through a central opening therein.

Secured to the upright in spaced relation are a plurality of collars 16, made preferably of rubber, which when inserted on the pole provide a tight lit thereon and remain in a lixed position on said pole so that same will support its respective shade-like section. As best seen in FIGURE 2, the upright or pole 10 supports a plurality of shade-like sections, all of which are of identical construction except for size. These sections are designated by inwardly inclined, therefore each annular section or shadelike section tapers upwardly from its base or bottom edge 36 to its top edge 38. Each of said vsections is covered with an ornamental covering generally designated at 40, which is formed of a strip of material, preferably a rnetallic foil su-ch as aluminum or the like, which has been slitted and shaped to form a decorative strip 42 prior to its application to the Wall of the shade-like section. The decorative strip 42 has a continuous, narrow, imperforate, longitudinal securing band or securing edge 44 along one longitudinal edge. The remaining body of the strip is slitted as at 46 to produce lingers or needles 48 integral with said band and perpendicular thereto along the length of the strip.

The lingers or needles 48 are preferably of substantially identical width. The lingers 48 may be scored with a plurality of transverse scorings 50 to divide the fingers into a plurality of segments or facets S2 along the length `of the finger, or the lingers may be twisted or spiraled as desired. The lingers 48 are so cut that they will normally curl up at their outer ends, as best seen in FIGURE 6, when the strip is applied to the shade-like section. The strip and lingers of the strip may be formed in any conventional manner and a description of the method of forming same is not deemed necessary.

The decorative strip 42 is applied to the outer surface of the side Wall 34 of the shade-like section and is secured thereto along the securing edge 44. The shadelike section may be rotatably supported on a supporting fixture and as it slowly rotates the decorative strip is applied thereon in the following manner.

The side wall 34 of the shade-like body is lirst coated by applying an adhesive along :spaced vertically extending areas to form spaced coated adhesive stripes, and also adhesively coated along a narrow stripe circumferentially adjacent the bottom and top of the shade-like section. The securing edge 44 of the decorative strip is applied against the bottom adhesive circumferential stripe to completely encircle the bottom of the side wall 34 of the shade-like section and then is helically or spirally wound around said section side wall so that the securing edge 44 adheres to the spaced vertically extending adhesive stripes.

The spacing of the spiral wind securing edge 44 is such that each layer of the wind will cover the securing edge directly below it so that only the fingers of the decorative strip will be visible. In other words, the downwardly extending fingers of the upper layer will cover the securing edge 44 of the next lower layer, and so on throughout the shade-like body. A-t the uppermost portion of the shade, the securing edge of the decorative strip is wound around the upper circumferential adhesive stripe to encircle the top edge 38 of the shade-like section.

The lingers 48 of the decorative strip are visible while the securing edge 44 is hidden. In the embodiment shown, the fingers 48 extend forwardly and outwardly of the shade-like body, with the lower ends of the lingers curved upwardly. This presents a very decorative effect. If desired, the lingers may be spiralled or wound to produce other ornamental effects. By changing the shape ot the lingers of the decorative strip completely, different `ornamental effects are achieved.

The shade-like members 22 to 30 are made preferably of plastic material, although other materials may be used. Preferably the material may be either transparent or translucent. Secured to each of the shade-like sections and extending across the top thereof are a pair of spaced Wire members 54 having a central ring 56 which fits on the upright post 12 and which engages the collar 16 on the post to support the shade-like section thereon. The shade-like Vsections are spaced on the upright, as best seen in FIGURE 2, `so that said sections are not in engagement with each other. The sections are arranged so that the section, for example section 20, having the largest circumference is at the lowest end, with the sec- Ition, for example section 30, having the smallest circumference at the upper end. The upper portion of each section is within the lower portion of the section immediately above it, but is spaced from it. Thus, for example, the circumference of the top of section 20 would be less than the circumference of the bottom of section 22, and so on up the height of the tree. This provides a skirt-like effect for each section in relation to the other, thereby giving the entire tree a stepped effect. To complete the tree, a cone-shaped cap 32, which has been covered by the decorative strip previously described is positioned on top of the pole member.

With this arrangement a very ornamental effect is produced. The shade-like sections are therefore out of contact with each other but when viewed exteriorly no open spaces between the sections are visible. Furthermore, the tree may be illuminated from the interior by providing lights at the lower end or base of the tree.

A modified tree contruction is shown in FIGURE 7, in which the shade-like sections 60 are arranged so that a continuous tapering effect is produced. A cone shaped cap 62. completes the tree. In this modification an overall cone-like effect is produced by virtue of the fact that the circumference at the bottom of each Isection is substantially equal to that of the circumference at the top of the section resting thereagainst, and so on, up from the bottom to the top. In this modified construction the shade-like portions or sections 60 and cap 62 are also covered by the decorative strip in the manner heretofore described in connection with the preferred form. Likewise, each section is `supported on the upright in the same manner as heretofore described.

It will be understood that various changes and modifications may be made from the foregoing without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. An artificial tree comprising an upright member, a plurality of separate sections individually supported on said upright member, each section having a shade-like wall of truncated shape with the sections progressively increasing in the diameter from the top section to the bottom section the said sections each having a diameter at the bottom equal to or greater than the diameter at the top of the adjacent lower section so that when the sections are secured to the supporting member the sections are arranged so that they either overlap the lower adjacent section or form a continuous inclined wall therewith, a decorative strip secured to the wall of each said section, said decorative strip being formed to have a longitudinal securing edge along one marginal edge thereof and a plurality of fingers extending outwardly from one side of said longitudinal securing strip, each of said fingers being uniformly formed, said decorative strip having its longitudinal securing strip helically Wound on and secured to said wall of each of said sections with said fingers extending outwardly from said section.

2. An artificial tree comprising an upright member, a plurality of separate sections individually supported on said upright member, each section having a shade-like wall of truncated shape with the sections progressively increasing in the diameter from the top section to the bottom section, each section having a diameter at the bottom greater than the diameter at the top of the adjacent lower section so that when said sections are secured on said upright member each section overlaps the lower adjacent section, a decorative strip secured to the wall of each said section, said :decorative strip being formed to have a longitudinal securing edge along one marginal edge thereof and a plurality of fingers extending outwardly from one side of said longitudinal securing strip, each of said fingers being uniformly formed, said decorative strip having its longitudinal securing strip helically Wound on and secured to said wall of each of said sections with said fingers extending outwardly from `said section.

3. A structure defined in claim 1 in which each section has means extending across each section and engaging the upright member for separately supporting each section on the upright.

4. A structure defined in claim 2 in which each section has means extending across each section and engaging the upright member for separately supporting each section on the upright.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,586,791 2/1952 Dattilo 41-15 2,851,807 9/1958 Taylor 41--15 3,041,767 7/1962 Ranoha 41-15 OTHER REFERENCES 'How to Make Decorative Items With Feather Testooning Instruction Book, published by Kirchen Bros., Inc., Chicago, Illinois, cpw. 1950.

JACOB H. STEINBERG, Primary Examiner.

CARL F. KRAFFT, EARL M. BERGERT, ALEXAN- DER WYMAN, Examiners. 

1. AN ARTIFICIAL TREE COMPRISING AN UPRIGHT MEMBER, A PLURALITY OF SEPARATE SECTIONS INDIVIDUALLY SUPPORTED ON SAID UPRIGHT MEMBER, EACH SECTION HAVING A SHADE-LIKE WALL OF TRUNCATED SHAPE WITH THE SECTIONS PROGRESSIVELY INCREASING IN THE DIAMETER FROM THE TOP SECTION TO THE BOTTOM SECTION THE SAID SECTIONS EACH HAVING A DIAMETER AT THE BOTTOM EQUAL TO OR GREATER THAN THE DIAMETERE AT THE TOP OF THE ADJACENT LOWER SECTION SO THAT WHEN THE SECTIONS ARE SECURED TO THE SUPPORTING MEMBER THE SECTIONS ARE ARRANGED SO THAT THEY EITHER OVERLAP THE LOWER ADJACENT SECTION OR FORM A CONTINUOUS INCLINED WALL THEREWITH, A DECORATIVE STRIP SECURED TO THE WALL OF EACH SAID SECTION, SAID DECORATIVE STRIP BEING FORMED TO HAVE A LONGITUDINAL SECURING EDGE ALONG ONE MARGINAL EDGE THEREOF AND A PLURALITY OF FINGERS EXTENDING OUTWARDLY FROM ONE SIED OF SAID LONGITUDINAL SECURING STRIP, EACH OF SAID FINGERS BEING UNIFORMLY FORMED, SAID DECORATIVE STRIP HAVING IT LONGITUDINAL SECURING STRIP HELICALLY WOUND ON AND SECURED TO SAID WALL OF EACH OF SAID SECTIONS WITH SAID FINGERS EXTENDING OUTWARDLY FROM SAID SECTION. 